Thursday, September 6, 2012

Teachers ...

September, a blogging friend of mine who I've never met (but that doesn't mean anything, a friend is a friend), wrote out the procedure she undertook when a teacher invited her to pray over her classroom this week. I WISH I could simply link to her post, but she has a private blog and so that's not possible. So, I'm cutting and pasting her procedure here because I think it's brilliant.

Teachers? You shape and mold the future generation. You impact and educate our children. Thank you.

Teachers, this is how you can prepare your classrooms:

Invite the Holy Spirit’s presence and help.

Establish your authority in this place.

-God has known since the beginning of time that you would end up here, on this land teaching specific kids for the 2012-2013 year. He has prepared this place and you in advance so that you can accomplish His purposes.

-You have been given authority over what happens in this classroom. You teach in it unsupervised with permission from the principal, who works on behalf of the school board, on behalf of the government, on behalf of the taxpayers for the benefit of the students. You have the freedom and responsibility to set the tone, to discipline, to educate, even to decorate. This space is under your authority.

3. Invite some praying friends to provide agreement and support as you set the tone for this year. Call upon God’s word which does not return void from Matthew 18:19-20: 19“Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.”

4. Say a cleansing prayer. “Father, we know that on this land there has been sin. That sin has hurt your heart, hurt the people you love and defiled the land. We want this place to be used fully for your purposes so want to cleanse it by receiving the finished work Jesus did on the cross. We know that you are willing to receive our confession here so we confess on behalf of the sins of man in this place. Each and every one, and you know what they are even if we don’t. We confess the failure to love and worship you and only you, and the failure to love one another. We repent and ask for the blood of the lamb to come cleanse this place. We ask you to bring healing to all the people involved over the years, and to this land. Bring this land fully into alignment with your perfect plans for it. We ask you to come and use this place. May it be life giving going forward. Turbo charge it with your love and your life and your joy. May your presence and favour come upon it. May this be a dwelling place for the heavenly hosts. In Jesus name, Amen.”

5. Place the classroom and the upcoming school year under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Invite Jesus here.

6. What is your desire for your class?

September's ten cents:

-for God’s will to be done here.

-for students to be nurtured body, soul and spirit

-for this to be a safe place: that when they pass through the doorway all defilement upon them, all demonic activity be refused entry and that their spirits would be able to breathe and heal and experience God’s love.

-that the time and space would be peaceful and joyful

-that you and your students would have clear minds to learn the things they need to learn

-that discipline won’t be an issue. That students will submit to your authority over the classroom and that you will be fair and kind to them, bringing out the best in them rather than fighting with them.

-that you will have discernment, wisdom and patience in how you interact with each kid, and be able to be a conduit for God’s love to touch their lives.

-that there would be such a rich deposit from the prayers said today, and from your continuing presence in this classroom that the atmosphere of the school going forward would be changed for the better.

-that you can be a light here, both to students, parents and other teachers. That you would be a beacon even on your hardest day. That you would have God’s perspective continually and operate in His strength rather than your own, seeing God’s power perfected in your weakness.

-that there won’t be any interference from the enemy in all of these things. We forbid interference, harassment and cancel the assignment of any demon who would appear here. You are not allowed.

7. Call upon spiritual assistance in enforcing and accomplishing this. Invite and appoint an angelic guard (Heb 1:14 for they are servants to the heirs of salvation) to surround and inhabit the space, working out God’s will, enforcing God’s will.

8. Bless the oil. State that it is a physical sign of the spiritual work you are doing here and just as a hankerchief from Paul could heal a person, impart blessing to it. Use it in key places. Doorways, beneath chairs.